Food | Chutney, chocolate and washing up

John was in Cork a few weeks ago and brought back a lovely spiced apricot chutney from the English Market. When it was gone, I attempted to recreate it. The ingredients were simply apricots and coriander seeds (such a good combination), vinegar and sugar. All the recipes I looked up had quite a few additional ingredients, but I wanted to keep it simple and made it with the above (200g dried apricots, 3/4 teaspoon ground coriander, 200ml apple cider vinegar, 90g brown sugar), adding an onion and 25 grams of raisins (mainly to bulk it up, as I only had a small bag of dried apricots) and a bit of lemon juice. I followed Delia's instructions with regard to the cooking time and loosely based the ratio of the quantities on her recipe, and the result is lovely. We eat it with cheese and bread and add it to stir fries.

Overall we try to keep our sugar intake low, while not excluding it completely (see the chutney!). John is stricter, as he reckons he is an abstainer, not a moderator, whereas I am happy to make exceptions and won't refuse cake. The most important change has been to not eat processed biscuits and cakes. If it is homemade and has recognisable ingredients, it is fine - everything in moderation, of course. I use honey, maple syrup and coconut blossom sugar in my baking.

Yesterday I made these no-sugar bites, and the raspberries are actually sweetener enough. They taste best half frozen or straight from the fridge.

(Also pictured in the food photos: my friend gave me this gorgeous children's book about Frida Kahlo.)

In other sensory news, I love this washing-up liquid (another John find, when the shop didn't have Ecover, which I used for years). It smells of lemon balm and is certified by Ecocert.

My go-to green smoothie mix

For Owyanna: my go-to green smoothie recipe. It is my go-to recipe because I usually have all the ingredients, and it is also one of the less experimental smoothies and therefore a good one to start with. Apparently a lot of people are put off by the green colour, which is a mystery to me, as nobody seems to have a problem with eating green vegetables, but when it comes to beverages, green is vilified.

I have to say that I haven't managed to entice anybody to drink green smoothies, though I occasionally force-feed them to those close to me. Matt might have a quarter of a glass, but reckons that is enough "fun". It baffles me. I don't think it's an acquired taste at all - this version simply tastes really good. I took the basic green smoothie recipe (milk, banana, spinach) and added things I like that add more nutritional benefits. Sometimes I use kale as well as spinach. And sometimes I add a few frozen blueberries. And chlorella powder (to make it super-super-green). I never bother with ice, as I never have any and don't want it too cold, anyway - I reckon cold water/milk is enough.

I cannot give exact quantities, as I never measure anything, so the following is approximate.

I fill the beaker in this order:

-1/2 cup of water or cold green tea
-1/2 cup of soya milk (or almond or rice milk)  - OR no water and 1 cup of soya milk
-two handfuls of fresh baby spinach (I tried frozen - it didn't work)
-1 tsp almond butter 
-1 tsp bee pollen
-1 tbsp hemp seeds
-some chopped ginger
-juice of 1/4 lemon
-half a banana (or more, but I think half is enough)

Blend until no big pieces of anything are left.

This makes about two glasses of smoothie.

You can leave out the bee pollen, ginger, lemon juice, almond butter and hemp seed and adapt as you like.

Check your teeth after drinking this!

P.S.: This is the book I mentioned in the last post. It includes an interview with Victoria Boutenko, who discovered green smoothies. According to the authors, drinking green smoothies daily will make you crave more greens and healthier foods, something I can confirm. I am not sure whether I will ever make it a habit to drink one litre per day (I usually have less than half a litre), but every little helps. The main reason the green smoothie has revolutionised healthy eating is that its liquid form means nutrients are absorbed quicker and better (it is easy on the stomach, too). It is also a convenient way of consuming lots of healthy things, and unlike fruit smoothies, it isn't full of sugar.

Cautiously optimistic (intentions for 2012)

I feel a bit torn about sharing plans and resolutions, here as well as offline. I find myself talking about some "project" I am working on and I worry it sounds pretentious. But I like the accountability that comes with sharing. I often tell people about my plans and dreams, in the hope that it will give me more of an incentive to actually realise them instead of having to admit failure or defeat. But I don't really care if I have to do the latter - I have become more gentle with myself. It also helps not to have a strict timeline - all those things I wanted to do years ago may be part of a (never actually expressed as such) ten-year plan, in which case I still have a year or two...

A lot of my long-term dreams have come true. I always wanted to live in Ireland, by the sea, and that's what I'm doing (the donkey in the garden hasn't materialised yet, though, but there is a field full of them just around the corner). I wanted to work as an artist, and although I'm not a full-time artist, I am happy I am working in the arts and grateful that I get the odd commission, and I find teaching fulfilling and inspiring. But in the last few years I have felt a bit stuck, stagnating, and although I realise that it may have been necessary, a time of healing, this year I have felt ready to get out of it.

Some years I didn't make any resolutions, and I can't say with certainty whether making any would have changed anything, but I found that this year it helped me to have some words to guide me.  I wrote them on the first page of my notebook and checked in occasionally. For me not making any feels like there is no structure; time just goes by without the thrill of new beginnings and fresh starts.

For 2011 I wanted to focus on the areas of health, work (the freelance part), relationships and fitness. I did get my health back in order, and I started exercising seriously as opposed to half-arsed. I got my own website, though never developed it (and haven't told many real-life people), and I started to work on something that I hope will turn into part-time work someday (small steps). I also connected with people more. 

So this year I want to continue with and build on all of the above.
As well as:

- Get better at working from home. Dedicate a portion of the day to working on commissions, etc., and stop telling people I'm flexible and available.

- Keep running and swimming and vary my routine more. Maybe sign up for a race or two. And walk more. Also finally acquire all the appropriate gear I need for these activities. It took me years to get the few items I own. I love clothes, but workout clothes were never a priority for me. Now that I have realised that not having any clean running clothes can easily stop me from going for a run, I will get some more - and I might even get walking boots (for hill walking).

- Get my hair cut professionally at least four times. For years I never went to the hairdresser, arguing that with long hair you didn't need to. I cringe when I look at old photos. Bad hair days aplenty. And although my sisters are quite capable, when I finally discovered the benefits of having your hair cut professionally it was a eureka moment, as I became aware that this was one important part of self-care and self-respect I had ommitted for so long, a simple ritual of changing your outer appearance and along with it something within (yes, I feel quite strongly about the transformative powers of having someone take care of your hair).

-Follow the skincare regimen that seems to work at the moment (involving oils - more soon) and start wearing SPF again

- Draw every day, anything

- Daily meditation, yoga or progressive muscle relaxation (I did well for a while, but fell off the mat in the last couple of months)

-Similarly, deep breathing every day - so important for overall health and calm, and so easy to forget

-Send more snail mail. I have a proper fountain pen and a small stationery collection. It's one of life's pleasures to receive something in the mail, but it has become so rare.

- Eat sugar-, dairy- and wheat-free most of the time, but treats are allowed.

- Be a better friend (see snail mail, but also to those around me - make more of an effort. I have lost touch with several old friends, and I am to blame for the most part. I know this is bound to happen after living in three different countries, but I could have been better at correspondence. Recent e-mails from people I haven't seen in years have moved me, and I intend to write more and see the friends who live near me more often)

-Maybe start cohabiting

So nothing major, no huge adventures planned (although the last thing on the list feels huge to me), but all these small things feel like steps in the right direction, and most importantly, they feel right.

Green

(1. kale, 2. curly kale, 3. kale in my Green Monster, and 4. apples, for balance - I know, what a well-edited selection... In my defense, there has been a lot of kale in my life, and it's very photogenic. Also, I was going to crop the last picture to take out the mouldy grout but decided to keep it real...)

Despite my best intentions, I haven't been eating that healthily lately (I blame my sister and her husband's visit - once you've eaten out a couple of times, it's hard to stick to your habits).

Mainly I started eating bread again. A lot. Quite often with nutella - my downfall. Eating less sugar has made my taste buds very sensitive - most sweet things I find too sweet. But nutella is an exception. I never buy it usually, because when it's there I will eat it. As is the case now.

I don't think bread is the devil; a healthy diet can include bread. But personally I find eating more than a slice a day makes me tired, heavy and lethargic. I'm not really allergic to gluten, but I feel so much better without it.

I know my family think I worry too much about food. And I want to be relaxed about it. If I'm invited somewhere I will still eat everything that's put in front of me, and enjoy it, but in my own house I want to eat in a way that makes me feel good. With the occasional treat, of course.

The whole food thing has become so much more important since I started a more rigorous exercise routine - what you eat affects your stamina, etc., so much.
Other areas, too - medical, especially - I don't know to what extent food played a role, but I am certain it is not to be underestimated: last year I was sick every few weeks; this year I have only been sick once or twice.

And then even seemingly trivial things, like noticing that the corners of my mouth don't get chapped and sore if I eat enough oils, or Matt commenting that when our paths first crossed two years ago he thought I looked ill and puffy in my face, have made me more aware of food issues. All this tells me it is a big deal. I may sound fussy and precious when I talk about it, but food is such a crucial element of our wellbeing. If people feel healthy and good eating a not-so-great diet, good for them. But I know I don't.

Anyway, I am just getting back into a healthier regime again. Green foods are making an appearance more often instead of going off in the fridge (I hate when food goes off). I am replacing the bread with millet and quinoa as before. Throughout these two weeks of craving and consuming stodgy foods I did drink a green monster almost every single day, so that hadn't changed.

Since I posted three photos of kale, I should mention how I use it. I usually don't do anything fancy - I like it steamed as a side with whatever meal I'm having. Sometimes I put it in soups and green smoothies (though spinach is nicer in the latter), and I like making a batch of kale chips - I use this recipe and only season with coarse sea salt and cracked black pepper.

Current obsessions

1. Late evening novel-reading and knitting (not simultaneously). It's a good thing I love this yarn so much, as this is attempt number 3 after two unravellings... I guess it's all about the journey.

2. Coconut water (diluted with water, because I am poor - this stuff is not cheap) after a run. Maybe it's just a fad and a placebo effect, but I really feel better rehydrated when I drink this. My coconut obsession knows no end (I drink this, I use coconut oil in food and on my hair and skin, shredded coconut in various recipes) - I should be half coconut by now.

3. Soft legwear. I don't like it when tights come up to your armpits or cut into your stomach. In the spring and autumn I tend to wear stockings, as I find them more comfortable, but winter calls for complete coverage (though I also own a pair of wool stockings - they might work with a heavy coat). I also don't like hosiery that feels like plastic. Life is too short. I found these extremely soft viscose-based tights and have been living in them. I can wear them all day, whereas with other tights I often have the urge to take them off as soon as I get home. I used to have all kinds of crazy colours, but at the moment I like greys a lot, and they work better with colourful dresses.

The health list

This year I have been in better health than last year and the year before, when I was sick every few weeks. My body seemed to pick one area, and I would keep getting the same thing all the time. It used to be my throat (tonsillitis); more recently it's been my kidneys.
While I have had a few issues this year, overall it is far less frequent and less severe than before. I also used to get colds constantly, but have only had one since Christmas.
There may be a huge number of reasons why my health has improved. I certainly believe in the body-mind connection and that physical illness is often a result of psychological imbalance. There is far less drama in my life right now than even a few months ago. I keep stress levels down through meditation and yoga. I try to be kinder to myself. But I also think I have changed some more tangible things, especially diet-wise, and these are what I want to focus on here, as I usually always talk about the mental health stuff.

I am hesitant to list what seems to work for me, because the irrational part of me believes bad things will happen as a result (because clearly that's how the world works...), but here we go (please note these are just my personal observations and not definitive):

- Taking probiotics. All the antibiotics I was on played havoc with my body. I have been taking these probiotics for a few weeks now, and notice an improvement. (I used to just get acidophilus, but then I did my research and apparently you need different strains of probiotics for different problems)

- Eating more ginger. In soups, in hot water, in any dish that I think it will work in (some people would disagree...). Ginger helps with all kinds of ailments, both as a cure and preventative measure, from colds to headaches and period pains.

- taking cranberry capsules (because of all the urinary tract infections). I don't like taking supplements and try to get everything I need in my diet, but this is an exception. Cranberry does not cure an existing infection, but can prevent them. The ones I take also have lots of Vitamin C

- using coconut oil (my newest obsession) for everything. A tablespoonful in porridge or hot muesli (...I eat muesli hot), and for cooking instead of other oils (though I still use olive oil, too). It is supposed to provide an instant energy boost and to be antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal and boost the immune system.

- Sauna and steam room. The cure for everything, in my opinion. When I feel cold and miserable this is where I go. My friend's doctor advised him to be cautious in the steam room, though, as bacteria flourish in warm moist places. If somebody is in there coughing, get out.

- Running and swimming. Regular exercise makes you less susceptible to illness.

- Propolis drops and bee pollen. I take the drops when I feel I might come down with something (they are a natural antibiotic and immune system booster) and eat two teaspoons of pollen every day.

- Huge amounts of green foods, which are great in so many ways. Until this year I had never had spinach for breakfast, but now it's a weekend staple. I love spinach, so that helps. I would eat spinach as a side dish with just about everything. 

- Lots of raw food. Harder to do now that we're approaching winter. I notice I feel much more energetic and my skin is better when I have a big portion of raw vegetables every day.

- Quinoa and millet instead of pasta and rice as often as possible. They are packed with nutrients, gluten-free and actually taste great, too.

- Less sugar. I experimented with giving it up completely, and it's easier than I thought to eliminate it, but I love baking, and when I bake, I inevitably eat some of the end product, and I love chocolate, and I don't want to be a spoilsport-healthfreak in social situations, so the answer for me at the moment is that a bit of sugar is ok

- Baths with Epsom salts to detoxify (and for a magnesium boost)

Also important: not to be too fanatical about any of the above. There are still days when I don't eat anything green, but instead cake for dinner, and that doesn't mean it's all in vain.